Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-03-31

iu bhlo ttot thtN Wtlc 50 tfONe
and tired Il seemed as though
they couldn't bear 10 see the play pro
coed. OF course they were not consid-
crate. nay, were actually plean. per.
haps, but a performance should not
last too long OF be unduly similar in
scenes; and they were very. very tired
Of the old, long plays, they said, and
sorry enough, too, let us hope, since it
seemed so disrespcctful, and the man
ayers were thriving so finely on the
old, long plays.
To John Earling the decision of
Judge Ashman came something like a
shock; for. though conscious of, he was
not yet accustomed to, the fact that n
thing at law must often be fought for
and won great many times before
what seems the law will permit one to
carry his own away.
Immediately on the morning that the
verdict convicting Fowler was reached,
John Earling had gone ont TO see the
old attorney. But the news had pre-
cedcd him, and though the old man
was weak and palsied and propped up
in bed under the big moose head his
eyes CLEANED with gladness, and he felt
about and got hold Of the young mans
hand, and, gazing approvingly into his
face. exclaimed, in his broken voice
"What hairl what hairl | knew You
would fetch It awayl Snuml snuml
but you fetched itl'' and he rocked his
trembling head in wondering approval.
But now John Earling had not the
heart TO 60 and see him again. but
within an hour he had set about pre-
pairing the ground for the next strug-
gle, while the old lawyer, lying under
the moose head out at the north end OF
the town, locked at his attendant as II
1t would be an exceeding pleasure TO
eat him, and muttered maledictions
dfon the cravenly Ashman. John
Earling did not know. and neither did
the murmuring people, that Joel Whit
ney had given them the drink that
made their bosoms bitter. Only one.
perhaps, the old lawyer with the big
Indian head and palsied hands, d.
vined the true impulse that moved
Judge Ashman on TO action.
Dang itv' he said, with his amber
eyes glaring at the moose head. "there
can't be any justice, and YOU know It.
rs long as the law and politics run on
together. windin' into each other like
two internal snakes. with politics as
rotten as the city treasurer's heart in
the courthouse of Sodom"
The moose head did not offer to dis
pute the assertion. and the old lawyer
groaned and lay still.
All that day the sky seemed fat and
low and leaden. with raw wind
breathing out Of the north and driving
the dull scud across the heavens away
into that stupendous mouth which sky
and prairie made toward the south.
The sun could not be distinguished
when Y set save by a long, low fire
where the world turned down at the
west Absalom Heater. standing upon
his porch on the ridge to the west Of
Openstone, thought how like some
great burning city, smoIe-muilied aud
crumbling. 1t looked. He let his eyes fall
away from it and pause a moment at
the brow of the ridge to the south
where Maun was murdered, and shook
his head and looked up at the drifting
scuf. "Can't let i'm off," he NUT
tered. "Wrong. thought right, too!
tough! hate to! no worse than shoot
in rebs. / guess, thought and he
stood looking absently at the frozen
ground before him awhile, then turned
and went in.
Several times while eating supper he
stopped, and, after looking about the
room and care s,ing the
curly-headed twins and smiling Ether
with his eyes, gazed gloomily at his
plate and growled: might hev be-
haved himself. thenl Might hev had
as good as thisl It's his own doins"
After supper he kissed them and
went striding away toward the town
Darkness came early into Openstone
that night upon a rising wind, which,
with falling snow, went moan
ing over the houses aud sobbing under
the caves. Everywhere lights broke
out, throwing their pale streams though
the windows into the darkness and dis
covering TO the muiflei passGr-by what
an intinite white swarm was flying
over and about him. Down by the river
The big ilourng-mill. the long plow-
factory, the wagon works. the foundry
and the planing-mill, were silent. save
at the dams middle where the spill |
way shot its waters gurgiing and sput-
tering through a beard OF ice into the
stream below.
Absalom Heater paused upon the
bridge as he passed and listened mo-
ment to the murmuring water that had
so often SGT the big mill rumblng for
him. "Smut; rs dirty thing 10 let 90
tween the burrs. but sometimes its got
TO be groundH' he muttered. Then he |
turned with the winds blowing against !
him and looked up the long slope TO |
The place where Maun's life had been |
% iiend SHY put out, and nodding his |
head ailirmatively muttered again: 'lt's |
The right place; don't know what the |
Iid will say. but it's the right spotr'
and went ON to the town.
About nine O'Clock that night Salvo |
Popp. who of late had been dabbling
n ink both upon foolscap and legalcap |
without any sensible appreciation, was |
passing along the east side Of the gas
it square. with his coat-collar pulled |
up and his adam 's-apple pulled down
o cover it from the whirling storm.
seeing a light in the Office OF Bower
< Woodman he went up the stars
md entered. John Earling was
'itting at the big round table
n the rooms center with
,ile Of law books beside him aud the
yas light falling over him. He nodded
md smiled pleasantly TO the sloping-
houldered youth. and with a side
wave Of the head motioned him to
eat Salvo thought him very strong.
'lear-cut looking fellow as ne sat there
With his high forehead. clear eXes.
argc, straight nose. nervous nostrils.
md brown hair Like most yonng
irving Americans. be looked 4 little
'ale ana rather older than his years.
ie had writing pad before him on
be table and was rapidly gathering
otes from the volumes as he turned
he pages, and as SAlyo indicated that
e only desired To sit and read akyhile |